Welcome.
These are some of the attempts at verse that I have made over the years. I trust that they are to the glory of the Lord Jesus - and that putting them here is to His glory too.
I have now posted most that I have written at least once but continue in case a new audience finds new blessing. Occasionally I throw in some other verse.
Comment are welcome.

Tuesday, 29 September 2009

Men saw the rich donating from their richesAnd thought them rightly proud of all they'd given;The priests were glad to see them boost their systemNot knowing yet the time of their dismissal.But Jesus watched and all their gifts diminishedWhen Jesus judged the motives of their giving.He called His own to bring within their visionThe greatest giver, an under‑rated widowWho had not shirked dispensing all her living.Though men despised her the widow was distinguished.True judgment valued the one who men belittled‑ Some trait of Christ, whose giving was exquisite.

Monday, 28 September 2009

He came from Bethany where were His loversTowards Jerusalem where there was spurning;In genuine manhood the Lord Himself was hungry:He saw one tree whose foliage was abundant.Seeking for figs He found that there was nothingAnd solemnly He spoke to it and cursed it.Quickly it dried up so that the watchers wondered.The tree was symbol of His own people's dullness:They saw His grace and felt it was repugnant.The best of flesh was found to be unworthyExposed to One who should have gained their worship.He spent His strength but their response was nullness.

Sunday, 27 September 2009

The Mighty One had come within His temple:None could resist the vigour of His entrance.He overthrew the seats of the dove‑sellers;From money changers the house was disinfested ‑God's house of prayer was hallowed by His cleansing.The scribes displayed their wicked preferencesAnd would have gladly destroyed Him or expelled Him.But children sang ‑ this was what God intended:That men should know the glory of the Person;And if their cries related to Christ's splendourGod loved to hear it ‑ it was His intervention.From babes and sucklings Christ's praise has been perfected.

Saturday, 26 September 2009

As Christ advanced to agony and woeTo bear my sins and for my sins atoneGod's will ensured some recompense before:Regally seated upon an ass's coltMeekly towards Jerusalem He rodeAccompanied by crowds whose voices rose:In acclamation they honoured and extolled.They cried "Hosannah!", and thus His status owned,The Son of David whom God will have enthroned.They called on Zion to hearken and behold.Had Pharisees ensured these mouths were closedGod would have drawn responses from the stones.

Friday, 25 September 2009

Ridiculous Zaccheus made himselfOut on a limb because he was intentSimply to see the Saviour as He went.But Jesus stopped which he did not expectAnd called to him ‑ if climbing up he sped“How full of speed canst thou imagine whenOur Saviour called he powder'd down again?”He feared no fall but answered as he heardAnd when Christ spoke rejoiced at what He said:Glad, he prepared a place for Christ to dwell - “A son of Abraham” his righteousnessSecured a welcome for Christ, at His request.

This includes a quotation from Francis Quarles which I have googled and found here:http://darbygray.blogspot.com/2007_04_01_archive.html .

Accosted by collectors of didrachmasPeter was once again responding rashlyTo prove the orthodoxy of Christ's reactions.Probed by the Lord he found out, as he had to,"The sons are free" ‑ outwith the world's transactions.Yet not to give offence the Lord dispatched himBack to the sea and his accustomed casting(Though not a net ‑ no indiscriminate catches ‑Since Jesus knew how strong the sea's attractions).He would acquire one coin exact in valueFrom the first fish under God's sovereign action"For Me and thee", the servant and the Master.

Wednesday, 23 September 2009

Accompanied by three whom He had chosen,Upon the mountain Christ sought the high remoteness.And as He prayed in confident devotionHis countenance was changed and shone in glory:Even His clothes shone as He stood before them;Elias was with Him and also Moses.Peter and James and John were soon awokenTo hear of truths to cause them to adore Him.Even when Peter's words were rashly spokenThe cloud of glory drew its protection over:Who could compare with Christ? There could be no one:God has averred His excellent aloneness.

The form is somewhat of my invention. It is based on my, possibly defective, understanding of the Old French laisse. The general principles are:each stanza had twelve lines;all twelve lines assonate, i.e. the last stressed syllable has the same vowel sound - full rhymes are usually accidental;the basic measure is the so-called iambic, unstressed syllable followed by stressed;each line has five stresses and a break after the second or third stress;in a substantial minority of lines there is an additional unstressed syllable after the break or at the end of the line, or both.

If these technical details are a distraction, forget them; if lack of them would distract, refer to them.

Tuesday, 22 September 2009

As great crowds came to Him Christ was concernedAnd spoke to Philip regarding food for them;Although He was the answer in HimselfThe Lord took Philip and put him to the test.Andrew the finder had found a boy with breadAnd two small fish, yet numbers overwhelmedThe feeble faith of all of Jesus' friends.He took control ‑ all sat at His behestAnd having blessed in grace the Saviour served.None could go hungry if Christ administered:None could surpass the greater nourishmentNow made available through Jesus' death.

Monday, 21 September 2009

In consternation they felt the narrow keelBuffet upon the billows of the sea.Where was the Master? And could He help achieveA safer place, or help assuage their fear?Where was the Master? They found He was asleep;Whatever squalls could not disturb His peace.At His rebuke the raging waters ceasedAnd at His word the calm became complete.They questioned in their hearts Who this could beWhose voice the elements owned as supreme:Although the Friend who granted them reliefIn Person Christ could say "I, I am HE!"

Sunday, 20 September 2009

As the disciples followed Him through the fieldsThe presence of the Lord made them so freeThey plucked the wheat and having rubbed the earsHad liberty to choose the good and eatThe strictures of the carping PhariseesWere met by Christ who spoke of David's needAnd how he took the shewbread from the priest.Thus Christ announced the message of releaseThat He had come to foster and to preach,Which His own rights and sorrows would achieve.Lord of the Sabbath establishing our peaceHe left the Pharisees to taste defeat.

This begins another wave of laises of "Touching the King". Others, of the total of 120, will follow in due course - if the Lord will. They have the tag TTK

Friday, 18 September 2009

Be, become, conform to being,To me, your rebel, persistent wanderer,Recurring prodigal, even to me,A rock ‑ a covert, refuge and strongHold ‑ a rock of habitationWhereunto I ‑ I, myself, whoWith the mind serve God's law ‑May continually, and continuously too,Till time dissolves out of continuousness,Resort, like the rock badger,But a feeble folk ‑ yet exceeding wise ‑Who make their house in the cliff.

Wednesday, 16 September 2009

Yet in experience the Rock can be A stumbling block; too high for meI appears to observe and mock my attemptsTo scale it: I knock my head against A flinty cliff; I cannot unlock Or smite out of it water, oil or honey.

I stumble at the foot of the crag ‑Enervated, unable to drag my bodyFrom the earth. On crumbling slag I standBut with any effort I flag; no Way appears. Into my grazed fleshHarsh outcrops jag their sharpness.

My desire is directed upward; my soulBurns like a fire if I weaklyDecline or retire. How make headwayTo heights I aspire to? My bodyLanguishes, muscles ache, arms Tire, for my flesh outweighs me.

*****As for my feet, treading miry clayHe set them on a Rock, and He Established my goings; I calledAnd he led me to Rock which is higherThan I; and in the day of evil HeWill set me high upon a Rock.For who is a Rock if not our GodWho makes my feet like hinds' feetAnd sets me on my high places.Gracefulness and agility supersedingMy natural sloth and lowness IWalk and leap and praise God.

Tuesday, 15 September 2009

With silver, precious stones and gold I built a delicate, costly tower;Chryselephantine work extolled My Master, to its utmost power ‑ But storms arose ‑ it would not standFor it was founded upon sand.

Again ‑ but now on rock ‑ I built An edifice designed to swellThe praise of Him who bore my guilt; I thought my work had progressed wellBut fire demolished all I saw‑ Since it was wood and grass and straw.

Lord, let me build on Thee alone According to Thy heavenly planAnd let me be a living stone Solely for Thee, and not for Man;And if the glory all is ThineThe happiness and peace are mine.

Sunday, 13 September 2009

Here were no unconformities:Each part was ideal in its kindAnd in its place. Constant textureWith no fault, fineness of grain ‑Altogether what He said He was ‑And without eccentricities:No erratics, nor conglomerates;The Same, yesterday and todayAnd to the ages to come. RockOn which I can depend.

Yet the attrition of time,Pressures, ice and fireMore than any otherThat Man has undergone;Not passed through stoically As a mere rock suggests.Here the image fails As every image must fail:Lamb, Heifer or Dove;He suffered all He endured.